UNESCO and the UIA (Union Internationale des Architectes / International Union of Architects) launched the World Capital of Architecture initiative to highlight the key role of architecture, city planning, and culture in shaping urban identity and sustainable urban development. Every three years, the city designated as World Capital of Architecture becomes a global forum at the forefront of discussions on contemporary urban planning and architectural issues.
The first city to receive this designation was Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) in January 2020. The city committed to hold a series of events with a particular focus on promoting SDG (Sustainable Development Goal) 11: “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.”
In July 2021, the City of Copenhagen (Denmark) was named UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture for 2023. It would build upon Rio’s achievements, by continuing to show the way in which architecture and culture can respond to the challenges of our time, especially in the environmental field.
The city appointed to be UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture for 2026 is Barcelona (Spain). It will take on its capital role with all sectors involved, working together with the city’s cultural and professional organisations, institutions, schools and citizens for this major event to become the epicentre of architecture.
On this occasion, Barcelona City Council and Fundació Mies van der Rohe, along with UNESCO and UIA create this new international ideas competition, which invites the global community of young architects to participate in the transformation of 10 permanent party walls, spread across its 10 districts, into new facades. It is an initiative that encourages the revitalization of city’s public spaces as a lasting legacy of Barcelona 2026 World Architecture Capital UNESCO-UIA.
The walls to be used in the competition have a surface area of more than 100 sqm and will not disappear since, according to current planning, they will not be covered by other buildings and at the same time confront public spaces, with the visual impact that this entails. Ten permanent walls have been selected for the competition, one for each district.
The proposals submitted will be evaluated according to the following objectives:
- Urban quality: the ability to generate new facades for the transformation and improvement of the urban landscape, and the reactivation of the ground floors with new openings of the premises and neighbour accesses, solving corners or spaces susceptible to bad use.
- Habitability, with the opening of new windows and balconies that improve the quality of life of residents.
- Sustainability, with the incorporation of thermal insulation to increase comfort and improve the energy performance of buildings, or also the installation of photovoltaic capture or other strategies for generating clean energy.
- Biodiversity, with the increase in vertical greenery and the creation of new habitats for protected fauna.
Activities are planned in all ten districts over a ten-month period: exhibitions, routes, workshops, open days, installations, talks and competitions. The goal is to promote its heritage and the talent that exists in the city, at the same time disseminating the transformational qualities of architecture and urban planning.
Barcelona will also be hosting the UIA congress for the second time, after the first one was held in 1996. In the meeting, it will address the challenges that face us as a society, confirming that architecture is more necessary than ever for tackling problems such as climate change or access to housing.
The competition is aimed at young architects, so one of the requirements is that the proposals to be submitted by architects with a degree in any country in the world and under 35 years of age. The period for submitting ideas is from 10 June to 5 August 2024. The jury, made up of architects and architecture and urban planning professionals from around the world. The aim is for the dividing walls to be inaugurated in 2026 as part of the programme of activities for the World Capital of Architecture. The winners will be announced on 25 September. In total, the competition has a prize fund of 52.500 €.
Need more info? Head to barcelona.cat/capitalmundialarquitectura/en/international-ideas-competition-young-architects
Sources: uia-architectes.org, archilovers.com, barcelona.cat